Is Coach Sanders TOO quiet to do the job?

"He stays on you, that's for sure," Williams said. "He lets you know when you're doing good and lets you know when you're doing bad, stuff like that."

Sanders, who coached defensive ends last season under Bates, is in charge of a defense for the first time in his 30-year coaching career. When Bates joined the Packers, it was his seventh defensive coordinator job, including two other NFL coordinator jobs.

"It's Coach Sanders' first time, and he's got to have time to get in a groove," defensive tackle Colin Cole said. "I think he called a pretty good game (in the preseason opener against San Diego). We as players still have to go out and execute. That's what it comes down to."

Barnett said: "I think he has that special quality. I mean, it takes a while for players to start to relate to him, and understand his coaching and his strategy. I relate to him, but it might take everybody else some time."

Sanders said he regularly talks to Bates, who is out of football, but said Bates didn't offer advice. Even if Bates had, it wouldn't be in Sanders' more introverted nature to share it publicly.

"You have to be yourself," Sanders said. "You've got to be you. Any time you fill a guy's shoes who you have great admiration for and a friendship with, and the success he's had, sure, those are big shoes to fill. But he prepared me for this. I try to work as a tribute to him and the things he did for me.

"The way I call the defense doesn't win the games. Playmakers win the games. The thing I learned from Jim is you get prepared before and get the guys in position to make plays, and they execute. That's what wins the games."
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